INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) 鈥� Pop stars, first responders, rock stars and those who鈥檝e lost everything in the devastating LA-area wildfires , a massive benefit concert Thursday that combined spectacular performances with moving storytelling from survivors and reminders of the destruction.
In a night full of surprises, a reunion of Nirvana 鈥� fronted by St. Vincent, Kim Gordon and Joan Jett in the place of the late Kurt Cobain 鈥� tops the list. They launched into 鈥淏reed,鈥� 鈥淪chool鈥� and 鈥淭erritorial Pissings鈥� respectively, inspired and unexpected choices.
Drummer Dave Grohl's daughter, Violet, then emerged on stage for 鈥淎ll Apologies.鈥�
Closer Lady Gaga, after powering through the Oscar-award winning 鈥淪hallow鈥� and 鈥淎lways Remember Us This Way鈥� from 鈥淎 Star Is Born,鈥� played a new song on the piano. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just for tonight, it鈥檚 just for you,鈥� she said of the song she wrote with fianc茅 businessman Michael Polansky. 鈥淭ime is a healer.鈥�
鈥淎ll I need is time,鈥� she sang in the folk-y pop chorus. 鈥淭o heal my broken wings and then I'll soar.鈥�
Green Day kicked off the massive show by launching into 鈥淟ast Night on Earth" at the Kia Forum and were soon joined by for the first surprise of the night. The lyrics are surprisingly astute: 鈥淚f I lose everything in the fire / I鈥檓 sending all my love to you.鈥�
After their set, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong hugged , who was there to welcome to the crowd at the Kia Forum.
鈥淥ur goal is simple tonight, to spend more money than the Dodgers spent on free agents,鈥� he joked. He told the audience U2 offered the first big donation of the night: $1 million dollars.
Crystal said he was wearing the clothes he had on when he evacuated. in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood that he lived in for 46 years.
SoCal in the building
Is there any band more Southern California in spirit and geography than the Red Hot Chili Peppers? Bassist Flea did a handstand on stage wearing only a Speedo before they launched into one of their countless odes to the state: 鈥淒ani California," 鈥淐alifornication" and 鈥淯nder the Bridge.鈥�
The first true-blue Los Angeles moment came from a surprise performance by . The progenitor of West Coast hip-hop tackled 鈥淪till D.R.E.鈥� with Anderson .Paak and Sheila E. before pivoting to Tupac and Dre鈥檚 classic 鈥淐alifornia Love.鈥�
It was followed by the figurehead of Laurel Canyon folk, a moving set of 鈥淏oth Sides Now鈥� by .
Later in the night, Orange Country ska punk legends No Doubt launched into 鈥淚鈥檓 Just a Girl,鈥� 鈥淒on鈥檛 Speak鈥� and 鈥淪piderwebs,鈥� led by frontwoman Gwen Stefani.
Katy Perry was joined by the Pasadena Chorale for 鈥淩ise鈥� before launching into 鈥淩oar鈥� and 鈥淐alifornia Gurls.鈥� She paraded across the stage with the California state flag in hand.
And Eilish and her brother Finneas, who've called Los Angeles home for their entire lives, performed beautiful acoustic versions of her recent hits 鈥淲ildflower,鈥� 鈥淭he Greatest鈥� and 鈥淏irds of a Feather."
Two venues, one huge concert
FireAid spread its performances between two venues, the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome, providing a near seamless stream of music for nearly six hours. Behind early performances, images of firefighters and the devastation brought forth by the fires appeared on screen.
Olivia Rodrigo, Stevie Wonder, Sting and Pink provided memorable sets.
did 鈥淓dge of Seventeen,鈥� 鈥淪tand Back鈥� and 鈥淟andslide,鈥� and told the story of evacuating her Pacific Palisades home that miraculously did not burn down. Her home is mostly wood, built in 1938, and she theorized its loss would have destroyed the whole street.
did a medley of their biggest hits: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the Way of the World,鈥� 鈥淪hining Star鈥� and 鈥淪eptember.鈥� The Black Crowes backed up John Fogerty for 鈥淗ave You Ever Seen the Rain?鈥� Then the band was joined by Slash.
Lil Baby offered a rare hip-hop break in the night of mostly pop and rock, with his hits 鈥淪o Sorry鈥� and 鈥淓motionally Scarred.鈥�
Tate McRae performed her 2020 cut 鈥淵ou Broke Me First鈥� and a cover of Crowded House鈥檚 鈥淒on鈥檛 Dream It鈥檚 Over.鈥� brought country music to the event, performing his hit 鈥淚 Am Not Okay鈥� and a cover of Bob Seger鈥檚 鈥淗ollywood Nights鈥� with
Music mixed with stories of fire's toll
Between sets, survivors telling stories of losing their homes were broadcast throughout the arena, both in person and in video packages.
Non-celebrities brought heart. The Williams family, including four daughters and their mother, took the stage and discussed losing four homes in Altadena, California. They introduced the folk rock band Dawes, whose members also were directly affected by the Eaton fire.
Dawes鈥� Taylor Goldsmith lost a portion of the Altadena house he shares with actor-singer Mandy Moore and his . Goldsmith鈥檚 brother and bandmate, Griffin Goldsmith, and his pregnant wife also lost their home in the fire.
Spirits were high. 鈥淲e鈥檙e appreciative of this moment. I hope people remember this concert forever,鈥� said Scott Jones, 54, who brought his daughter to the concert at the Kia Forum. The Los Angeles-resident and his daughter wore black T-shirts with 鈥淔irst Responders鈥� written across their chests.
鈥淚 hope some of the firefighters who are able to attend can come and decompress a little,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淭hey needed it. I鈥檓 supportive of what they have done for this city.鈥�
Donations are the focus
Throughout the show, viewers and attendees were encouraged to donate via
Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie pledged to made during the live broadcast, doubling the proceeds. Crystal noted that because of their announcement, U2's million dollar donation was worth twice that amount.
All of the proceeds will go to those affected. A 501(c)(3) was set up, and contributions to FireAid will be distributed under the Annenberg Foundation, which with FireAid has assembled a small committee to advise.
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AP Entertainment Writers Mark Kennedy and Jonathan Landrum Jr. contributed to this report.
Maria Sherman, The Associated Press
